Of Collaboration and Paint
by MarySuOfYay
Summary: Getting the cassettes to work together had always been a trial for Soundwave. However, once they finally did, he didn't know what to think of it. Humor!


Author notes: Originally written for the fanfiction gift exchange, but am proud of it because it took me out of my usual angst-drama-depression comfort zone. Short, but I've had generally good feedback, so.. Here you go!

**Of Collaboration and Paint**

Despite it all, Soundwave had to admit that this was one of the best pranks he'd seen in some time.

Usually, when this type of thing was going to come about, there were warning signs. Subtle little things that he was often the only one to pick up on. A snicker there, an attempt to be sneaky – attempt, of course, being the operative word – and usually a few clues to what was heading for them.

This time, there was none of that. If there had, they had been incredibly good at keeping it hidden. Soundwave wasn't certain if this was a good thing or a bad thing.

Whatever the case, the results were spectacular. There was nothing but dead silence from the rest of the Decepticon higher command as they took in what they were seeing. Even Megatron had stopped to stare.

Every single piece of furniture in the communications station – down to the computer consoles, chairs, and even the crystal decorations on the wall – were all painted in obnoxiously bright colors. The ceiling resembled a pattern that the humans called 'tie-dye'.

How had his symbiotes pulled _this_ off? There had been someone around the clock keeping watch in here.

It had to be Rumble and Frenzy behind this particular prank. This practically screamed of it.

Yet, Soundwave was glad to have his mask; he couldn't help but grin.

"..What.." Megatron finally managed to make a sound. "..In the Pit.."

Slowly, the rest of those on duty moved around the room, taking things in. Soundwave headed to the nearest console; turning on a screen revealed a large, yellow blot and what he thought might have been a crude smiling face. Looks like the startup screen had even been changed.

"Lord Megatron." Soundwave could feel some sort of relief go through him as the computer powered up properly. "All major systems and applications are unaltered."

"At least whoever did this had _some_ sense." Megatron's voice had a hiss in it; Soundwave had the feeling it was directed squarely at him. Or at his symbiotes, not present as they were, more likely. "Soundwave, if I find out that it was one of your –"

"Oh, that idiot." The grumble from Starscream caused them both to turn. The seeker in question was fuming, hunched over and looking underneath a table.

"Starscream?" Megatron snarled and moved to his second's side. A rough shove against a set of wings cleared the way; then, the Decepticon Lord snarled. "Skywarp."

Soundwave's optical band flickered. Skywarp? Had he been mistaken, somehow? Had Skywarp done this and not his symbiotes?

Finally, a query ping was sent along the bond. Immediately, his cassettes – or at least the main two he thought were responsible – responded with a chorus of hilarity. So, they had managed to pull this off _and_ pin the blame on Skywarp? He was actually rather impressed.

Though, he was still going to have one very long conversation with them later.

"Oh, come on, Boss!"

"Yeah, you know it was awesome!"

"We used every bit of subby-fuge that you taught us!"

"Subterfuge, bro."

"Whatever, but we pulled it off!"

"Come on, it was awesome!"

"Yeah, you gotta say that it was awesome!"

"Rumble, Frenzy. Desist." Soundwave rubbed at his faceplate, but had to admit that he wanted to laugh along with them. "Query: How was this accomplished?"

"Uh.. Remember that raid a couple weeks ago?"

"Yeah, the one on the sciency human place?"

"Yeah, there was a paint store in the same city. While all the slag was going down and everyone was fighting, we just went over and took everything."

"No one even noticed! The fleshies were even gone!"

"And since we didn't touch _our_ paint stores, no one had a clue!"

"But then we had to wait for a good time.."

"And then Ravage said he was the fuel-supplier for yesterday's night shift.."

"Ravage?" Soundwave blinked in surprise, looking over to the feline in question. On his end, the ordinarily stoic recordicon was lounging on a chair as if nothing at all was going on. He couldn't even remember the last time Ravage had been part of one of the twins' pranks. "..Ravage?"

"Yeah, it was awesome!"

"Ravage put some recharge inducers in to the fuel and gave it to everyone on night shift!"

"Then Laserbeak and Buzzsaw said they'd keep watch in the halls.."

Now, Soundwave was flabbergasted; even those two had participated? Buzzsaw ordinarily sneered at the very concept of a prank, and Laserbeak usually kept her distance.

"Boss, you should've seen it!"

"Thundercracker was on patrol, and Laserbeak _talked_ him out of coming in!"

"We didn't even know she was that good, boss!"

Nearby, Laserbeak straightened as her ego was stroked. She seemed far too proud of herself.

"And the chair thing was Buzzsaw's idea!"

"It was slaggin' _brilliant_!"

For a few seconds, Soundwave could only stare at the twins gleaming up at him. "..Chair thing?"

"Yeah, the chair thing."

"Didn't ol' bucket head sit in his chair? The big one in the back?"

He hadn't. Megatron had been too busy being furious about the new décor to have been at his usual post.

"Rumble, Frenzy.." Soundwave glanced briefly to Buzzsaw as he said this, startled and amazed that all of his cassettes had participated in this. They had done so _together_; a rare team effort in and of itself. "Elaborate on stated 'chair thing'."

The grins on both Rumble and Frenzy's face could have given Swindle a run for his money.

"When Megs sits down, paint's gonna fly in his face."

"Buzzsaw helped with the ceiling rig."

An undignified squawk came from the flier in question.

"Okay, okay, he did the whole slaggin' thing!"

"We couldn't even get up there, so, yeah."

There was a very subtle bit of genius in this that even Soundwave was amazed by. He couldn't very well tell Megatron what he had learned without revealing that his cassettes were the source. He had the feeling that they all knew about that little detail; it was likely the only reason that they bragged so readily.

"Skywarp: Blamed."

"Oh, yeah." The grins somehow grew wider.

"That one was completely my idea!" Frenzy beamed.

"We just made it look like a seeker wing imprint on the bottom of the table!"

"Like that dumb idiot accidentally hit it while it was still wet!"

"We knew someone'd find it!"

Soundwave glanced over his assembled symbiotes. It was at once everything he had wanted and everything he had been trying to discourage. It was no secret that the lot of them didn't ordinarily get along and didn't spend nearly as much time together as he had liked; they were, after all, connected to the same host. Amity was a way to strengthen that bond and make them a more conducive unit. There had been hundreds of attempts to get them to spend more time together over the eons.

However, it was these sort of pranks that were eventually going to get them in serious trouble. Possibly more than 'serious'; Megatron had been known to kill for less. He had been trying to get the twins _to stop_ this type of behavior, and this is how the lot of them chose to finally listen to him?

A deep sigh let itself loose from his vocalizer. Then, he looked over all his assembled cassettes.

"New information.. Will _not_ be reported to Lord Megatron."

Rumble and Frenzy both pumped their fists in to the air. The rest were as stoic and unresponsive as ever.

"However." This caused the twins to stop their celebration. "Further attempts at family bonding is to be done in a _safer_ environment." As in, one that wasn't likely to get themselves on the wrong end of a fusion cannon.

"We hear ya, Boss." Rumble grinned.

"Yeah, loud and clear!"

They didn't hear him one bit. Soundwave could practically see the wheels turning in their processors; they were likely already planning the next prank.

A part of him wanted them to never stop.

Not more than twenty minutes later, Megatron's roar echoed throughout the Nemesis. Somehow, even from as far away as the private quarters were kept, they could all clearly hear the threats against a certain purple seeker.

Soundwave didn't so much as twitch. Not even when Rumble and Frenzy burst out in to boisterous laughter.


End file.
